i have exceme on my head, and no matter what I try, next day without fail im itching at my head, and picking skin out of my hair for hours. ive recently learned about dermatillomania, and im not sure I have it or even if I have OCD, but I think that my heads constantly itching...because im itching it. i do it until I bleed. and its not really that itchy. im just itching it. i dont think it's the excema, i think im picking at my head without realizing it. i am schizophrenic, can dermatillomania be a symptom of schizophrenia?

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FUCK U DERMA

I've struggled with skin picking my whole life. But by far the worst manifestation of it is with my tongue. I don't realize I've started doing it, then I'll notice because there is a little raised spot. So I try to bite that off, then it gets swollen from biting it, so I try to bite the swollen part off, and it just snowballs till my tongue is a bloody mess. When I was young I would use scissors or clippers to cut the swollen parts off. It's usually in the evening when I'm trying to relax. Anyone else have this issue? It's hard because you can't put a bandaid on it or cut your teeth like you would your nails. Sometimes I put a piece of paper towel over the wound when I realize it's getting bad but that only stops me some of the time.

Evening! I have suspicions about having a skin picking disorder because I've been picking at the skin on my fingers, toes, feet, arms and chest for about a decade and feeling very ashamed of it, tried several times to stop doing it out of pure will and (obviously) failing every single time. My parents and siblings didn't take it seriously at all even though I explicitly said I'm worried because I've been doing it for almost a decade without significant stop, and they just tell me it's a bad habit that will pass eventually like my mother quitting smoking. Right now I'm not in the economical place to afford therapy, but I plan to start sometime in the future. I need advice on how to approach the psychologist about my suspicions in a way that they'll take me seriously and consider starting to focus on getting to a diagnosis

I own a cat so I get random scratches and although I can’t stand how they feel like my skin is stuck.

I think the main reason I do it is because I want scars I like how they look and they are like tattoos and some hold stories. My favorite scar is on my face when my cat slid down my head because it is so obvious and a stupid funny story

I’ve was on fluoxetine for idk, 5 years. Prior to that, on effexor for a number of years. I couldn’t stand the side effects of Effexor, but excessive sweating was one of the worst (second to the brain zaps/withdrawal upon missing or even just being a couple hours late taking a dose). The sweating didn’t improve after being on fluoxetine. After years of being on Fluoxetine, I finally stopped cold turkey, kinda by accident. NOTE: I don’t ever suggest this, and it’s been difficult mentally. Seriously, do not do this. There was an insurance issue when filling the script and I was without meds for two weeks (just a lovely perk of the united States’ healthcare system), so I said screw it and decided to try another couple weeks without the med since I had already gone a full 15 days thus far. I decided to do this bc I was tired of doctors insisting the hyperhidrosis was not linked to the fluoxetine, especially bc the sweating didn’t improve when they lowered the dosage. So since I had already made it 2 weeks, I figured why not go a full 30 to let the meds exit my system completely. WOULDNT YOU KNOW, the hyperhidrosis is now nonexistent not being on fluoxetine. The validation felt good… then I realized im not picking my skin that much. Two/3 months later, the hyperhidrosis has never returned, and the Picking-while completely cured- has significantly improved. It’s been maybe once or twice that I caught myself stuck for a couple hours picking and pulling (hair), each incident same time as PMS/hormones are haywire. I still find myself looking and picking here and there, but it’s much MUCH easier to tell myself to stop and not get stuck in the trance we are all so painful familiar with.

I never associated the skin picking with the SSRIs, bc I was diagnosed with OCD as a young child (10ish years old) and did have some issues with trichotillomania in my early to mid 20s prior to starting any SSRIs. However, when looking back to when trichotillomania started to get worse and when the skin picking started—- it’s all when I started SSRIs. I never had a perfect complexion, so at times when I did get a pimple, I was always the kind to pick at it and make it worse.. but that was all it was, just one of those people who couldn’t leave a pimple to heal on its own. Never anything like staring at myself for hours examining my skin both hoping and dreading to find something to pick at. I never sat there squeezing normal little keratin plugs out of my face or never before took sharp objects to my face to pull something out of my skin.

This realization was and still is Super weird to me since SSRIs are often given to help both trichotillomania and dermotillomania. Currently the only mental health med I’m taking is Vyvanse. During the day (while medicine is still active in system), I have little to no urge to skin pick. Prior to taking vyvanse I took methylphenidate in combination with fluoxetine and noticed a fluctuation in the skin picking with that combo.. it never got “better”- I was at my skin picking baseline so-to-speak until the methylphenidate was wearing off. When it started to wear off, the physical effects were harsh (thus the switch to Vyvanse). Everybody’s experience with meds is difference, but I’d describe mine like this: methylphenidate wearing off for the day = running at full speed and being stopped by hitting a brick wall. Vyvanse wearing off for the day = running full speed and slowly decreasing my pace over time. With the methylphenidate, hitting the brick wall brought on horrible anxiety and a by bc of adrenaline with my chest actually feeling like how it feels when you just ran as hard as you could for as long as you could. During the methylphenidate wear off period, the skin picking came on full force. Once when doctor figuring out dosage, I learned that Having too high of a dosage of the methylphenidate caused a drastic increase to the picking. I went into full on skin picking and /or hair pulling trance mode.

It’s crazy to me that vyvanse isn’t causing any skin picking issues on its own, bc it absolutely can and does for some people. I’ve asked my doctor about it and her guess is that bc vyvanse is relaxing me, the urge to pick is lessened since my overall adhd-linked anxiety level is lessened.

Currently, I only have one open wound on my face and despite that, I’m still extremely satisfied (shocked, honestly) with the overall improvement. I had an underskin pimple that I tried to “fix” and of course, took it way too far (improved, not cured UGH). Im at least proud My scab came from a pimple that was tempting me and not as a result of me with my face mashed up against the mirror to pick at a perfectly normal pore that was turned into a pothole once I was done with it.

I don’t think I’ll ever be “cured” (sigh), but am at least more hopeful with my ability to tame the beast when it tries to rear its ugly head. I have so much scarring my on my face (boxcar like scars, a keloid one, and hyperpigmentation) and it’s depressing. Different spot gel helps the hyperpigmentation, especially when used immediately, but the other scarring is what’s more troubling. Hoping laser treatment (amongst other types of treatment) can help. Has anyone had insurance company actually approve coverage for scarring caused by dermotillomania? Or even approved with an HSA account? I’ve been told insurance MIGHT cover scar treatment if caused by accident or disease. is it worth the insurance fight for coverage since it’s caused by dermotillomania which is a recognized disorder (thought not technically a “disease”), with of course doctor noting dermotillomania was not a factor until SSRI started and significantly (I’d say 80%) improved after stopping the medication?

Just need some kind words and advice. I’m absolutely demolishing my hairline. I don’t wash my hair often or take care of it because I don’t wanna see the damage I’ve done. My hairline is visibly thinning. I’m just not proud of what I’ve done at all. I’m so frustrated. All I want is a healthy, full head of hair. I haven’t had a good relationship with my hair…ever, I don’t think. The only time my hair was better was when I was a child and my mom took care of it. I don’t know that I’ll ever have my dream hair. I’m so ashamed.

I used to tear my nails clean off (permenately damaging my nails on my feet) and at hangnails. Finally stopped that, then started fucking with my face. Scars. I still do, but I've mostly calmed down at that? Then my mouth. Mostly stopped that, the edges of my lips are a bit scarred but it used to be so bad I could slot my fingernail into my bottom lip and feel the nerves light up in my jaw.

Now it's a spot on the back of my head, and my fucking chest.

I started exfoliating daily (I know.) recently and the pores on my chest have not only gotten bigger, but also now I see every single individual blackhead. I have huge stretch marks, and the skin on my chest is incredibly thin. Every time I fuck with it, it leaves scarring, and if it's over a stretch mark it's even worse. I can't seem to stop. It happens most often when I'm anxious.

I hate looking at my chest now. From the past year alone, it's riddled in permanent scars I know for a fact won't ever go away, no matter what treatment I do (I suspect I have EDS, my scars are incredibly prominent when I get them and do not fade.) I hate undressing in front of my fiancee. I refuse to wear low cut shirts. I hate this so, so much. I thought I was doing better, but I just keep moving spots. For some reason something inside of me screams the skin needs to be smooth, and if it's even slightly bumpy, there's pus inside that I HAVE to get out.

One recently got infected, but healed fine thank god.

I don't know what to do. I'm so tired. I want this to end, but at the same time, it's so fucking satisfying I don't want to stop. I want the urge to stop.

I don’t know the statistics when it comes to the areas of the body that are picked at the most, but I haven’t found many resources on chest picking specifically, which is why I am asking for advice here.

Skin picking has long been a struggle for me. It started when I was around 12, I’m 21 now. Any perceived acne Is impulsively scratched and squeezed, driven by the urge to get any pus or material out of my skin. It’s been particularly bad lately. I can not recall a time where my chest was not covered in scabs, discoloured blotches, acne, etc. I even have bruises on it now due to the intense pinching.

The hardest part about it is the accessibility of the area. It not like the face or back which typically require a mirror in order to pick, I don’t need to painfully contort my body to access it either. It’s just right there in perfect reach of my hands. On top of that, it’s extremely difficult to Bandage up the area. I can’t wrap it in bandages like you can do with a limb. My chest is also kinda big (I’m female) so Wrapping it up in bandages is not an option. So, any tips? I’m kinda desperate at this point so any advice is appreciated.

I should just f*cking die.

Is there a way to stop picking if im addicted it texture??

I don’t know if this will make sense, but I pick my skin really badly when I feel any sort of texture. I obsess over it and feel the urge to pick it until my skin is smooth. I can keep lights off, but when I feel something on my skin I freak out and pick it off. Is there anything I could cover my hands with to wash my face but not feel texture? Thank you!!

Hello,

I have struggled with compulsive skin picking for years due to my hormonal acne. And now Keratosis Pilaris which developed during pregnancy.

Does anyone have tips to help keep this compulsion under control?

Currently sitting on the sofa with my entire face red and inflammed from picking every tiny clogged pore on my face. This is the second day ive done this now!

It is definitely compulsive, and hard for me to control, so please don’t recommend “just dont pick it”

Im currently on parental leave so its really difficult that im home most of the time left to my own devices.

Please be kind. Thank you!

Hello,

I have struggled with compulsive skin picking for years due to my hormonal acne. And now Keratosis Pilaris which developed during pregnancy.

Does anyone have tips to help keep this compulsion under control?

Currently sitting on the sofa with my entire face red and inflammed from picking every tiny clogged pore on my face. This is the second day ive done this now!

It is definitely compulsive, and hard for me to control, so please don’t recommend “just dont pick it”

Im currently on parental leave so its really difficult that im home most of the time left to my own devices.

Please be kind. Thank you!